When Dirk handed it to her, Joyce didn’t know whether to scream or cry.
“Happy Valentine’s,” he said, with a sweet smile on his face.
They’d only been dating two months, but both of them had felt a strong connection, a sense that this romance could lead to something more than kisses and cozy strolls along the Charles River.
But now, this: a soft warm fuzzy gray scarf. Joyce held it out with her index finger and thumb.
“It’ll keep you warm the rest of the winter,” Dirk said enthusiastically.
“But I’m a vegetarian,” Joyce protested. “I don’t eat meat. I don’t wear fur.”
“It’s not ‘fur,’” he insisted. “It’s rabbit!”
Although Joyce knew their romance was over at that instant, she’d been raised well, so she threw the offensive present into her purse while reaching for her small wrapped box that had sunk to the bottom, as if it knew it was doomed, or that at the very least, that love was impossible between new age her and too aged him.
When they first met, Joyce struggled with the fact that Dirk was almost a decade older than she. After all, what’s age got to do with it, she had chuckled to herself, purposely misquoting Tina Turner. So Joyce ignored the small signs of age difference, like the fact that he still read newspapers in print, and that he called his neighbor “Mr. Brown,” instead of Ted.
She ignored Dirk’s shock on their third date when Joyce explained to him that she worked from home two days out of five (“but how do they know you’re really working?” he asked). He was more shocked when she invited him up to her bedroom that same third date. Joyce saw the distrust in his eyes, wondering if she was so forward with all the guys she dated.
Of course, she’d never tell him that she had waited one date longer than usual.
Unenthusiastically, Joyce now gave Dirk her Valentine’s offering, sure that she’d just wasted a perfect present on an imperfect man.
Expecting a surprised grin when he unwrapped it, instead Joyce received a doleful expression of distaste tinged with regret.
A grooming kit? his raised eyebrow seemed to ask. An eyebrow so overgrown, Joyce was sure he’d appreciate this practical as well as thoughtful present.
“Great for ear hair, too,” Joyce admitted.
Ten years later, Dirk and Joyce still laugh at their Valentine disappointments on that unromantic day.
They parted that evening with everything left unsaid, but the next morning, fiery red tulips waited at Joyce’s door. That evening, Dirk presented her with an engagement ring so big she had to replace all of her winter gloves that no longer fit over her diamonded finger.
At that moment, she decided that age and bad gifts had nothing to do with love, and answered YES.
And Dirk’s ear hair?
Joyce trims it the third Tuesday of every month.
MAY LOVE HAVE EVERTHING TO DO WITH IT. HAPPY VALENTINE’S, MY FRIENDS.
A very sweet and romantic tale of love
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After all, true love means acccepting each other‘s faults, right? Thank you so much for reading and enjoying. 🌷
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Knowing that its rabbit is only worse and a put off. They are such gentle creatures.
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I’m thinking that Joyce educated Dirk as their love grew. 🐰💕
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Ah, this made me laugh!
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Certainly love and romance can’t grow without a lot of laughter! Glad the story made you smile. Thank you so much! 💗
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Warm story Pamela,
it is funny how one small thing can ruin one romantic relationship.This story is with happy ending fortunately 🙂
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I think so many people look for “perfect“ in a relationship, and really we are all imperfect beings. We need to love each other’s idiosyncrasies! Thanks so much for stopping by here, Ben. 💚
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Ha, ha! Love it. Glad that Dirk lets Joyce trim his ear hair – that’s true love. 🙂
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Can’t get much more loving than trimming a special one’s ear hair! 👂 😍
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Good story, Pam. I laughed when he said it wasn’t fur, it was rabbit!
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ARGH! As I was writing Durk’s story, I couldn’t believe it when he came out with that! But I think Joyce gently taught him a thing or two. 🐰☺️
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LOL! I love happy endings! ❤️❤️❤️
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In my mind, we can all find happy endings if we look in the right place! Hugs and happy Valentine’s Day to you, Jill. 💗
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❤
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Hmmm. . .well, I’m glad they got over those really bad gifts. 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day, Pam!
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Considering how horrible their first Valentine’s Day together was, things could only get better! 😍
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🙂
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Somehow it worse knowing the fur is bunny!
It is true that love is blind! 🙂
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Love is deaf, blind, and nonsensical. That’s why it’s so much fun! XO
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Happy Ending! Yeah! My son’s girlfriend got him a grooming kit for Xmas. I was like, really. And Sam was psyched!
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Laughing, Maria. Sam’s girlfriend sounds like a gem to me-she must know him well. 💕
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Wonderful! Ah sweet mysteries of love- to misquote someone!
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Love only works as a mystery, doesn’t it? And one of the great mysteries of life! 😍
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Cheers to the happy ending from what appeared to be impending disaster. BTW – If all goes as planned, my Tuesday night/Wednesday post will be one of my meager attempts at fiction.
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Looking forward to your next fiction post. The thing to remember about fiction is that it can’t be crazier than real life! Many things that really happen in life people say ‘you can’t make that up.’ 😆
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Oh it’s definitely real life – besides – I’m not the imaginative sci-fi type. This one is subtle.
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Sweet story! And I’ll admit to being one of those people who still reads a newspaper. 😁
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We get our newspaper delivered every morning by 6 a.m., Carrie. I’m still ‘old school’ that way too! ;-0
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As usual, I enjoyed the suspense! You always make me want to rush to the end—a mark of a great mystery writer!
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And there is no deeper mystery than love, right? 🙂 Happy ❤ Day to you.
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You made me laugh this morning, Pam. And happy Valentine’s Day to you and your guy!
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I hope your entire week is full of romance and laughter and love, Amy. I have no doubt that it will be. xo
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Haha! I didn’t see that coming ~> maybe that’s because love is blind. 😀
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Thank goodness love is blind, because otherwise, there would be a lot more lonely people out there! xo ❤
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Brilliant Pam. I had to laugh but the poor rabbits… 🙂
I love Tina Turner especially Simply the Best. 😊
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Despite Tina’s brilliant song, love DOES have everything to do with it. But I think in the end, that was the point of the song. 🙂 Best to you, my friend (I feel like I know you well, now that I’m almost finished with your wonderful memoir). xo
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I enjoyed every word on the roller coaster, ride especially the soft landing.
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You always use your words so well and cleverly, Jeanette. Yes, a soft happy landing, indeed. ❤
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🙂 🙂 🙂
Great Story…. Happy Valentines Day, Pam!
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HAPPY ❤ DAY TO YOU, Sharon!
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Great story you wrote here. Made me laugh out loud.
Your “It’s not ‘fur,’” he insisted. “It’s rabbit!” line reminds me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, when the Greek aunt dismisses the WASP bridegroom-to-be’s vegetarian request with “Don’t worry, I’ll make lamb.”
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Exactly! Sometimes things that make no sense explain everything (or at least, explain the person who is making no sense). 🙂
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Oh Pam, that was brilliant.. Loved reading it.. And Love has everything to do with it..
I hope you have a great Day when it arrives.. 😀
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In my mind, every day should be Valentine’s Day. Right? 🙂 ❤
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Yes… I watched the film Valentines Day last evening for the first time.. Amusing, 🙂 And we should never forget those whom we love, what ever day of the year.. I so agree.. 🙂 ❤
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That’s a good one, Pam. Still chuckling! I’m guessing they both had some adjustments to make and probably both turned out better for it.
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As we know, Anneli, long-time love means constant “adjustments.” 🙂 xo
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And by the time we get old, we are so adjusted that we are completely different people from what we started out being.
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Haha. Thus, the romance of new love with an old love continues. 🙂
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So much for May-December romances, ha! Our January-July love match has lasted over 50 years.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you too!
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Like Tina (didn’t) say: what’s age got to do with it? 🙂 Congrats on your January-July long-time love affair. xoxo
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Valentines gifts (especially early on in a relationship) can be fraught with danger. Love this story about it all working out… except maybe for the bunny 😉
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Even now, my guy and I forego Valentine’s Day gifts. A card and candy keep me happy. 🙂 Here’s to a sweet Valentine’s celebration.
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We are the same way… except to cards or candy either 🙂 It’s always seemed like a fake/Hallmark holiday.
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You made me laugh. So true about love and marriage. We aren’t perfect, but we learn to become a team and love and support each other.
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The imperfections in a relationship are what keep it interesting, right? Here’s to loving teamwork and lots of hugs. xo ❤
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I laughed out loud at “It’s not fur. It’s rabbit.” Ha ha ha. Well, I’m glad they survived as a couple to laugh about it. Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope yours is full of love. ❤
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If candy is included in a holiday, there’s always lots of love, Diana. 🙂 I’m thinking Dirk learned his lesson early, and went for the chocolate marshmallow heart (no fur) for their second Valentine’s Day together. ❤
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Love the story, Pamela. Happy Valentines Day! ❤ xo
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Thanks, Bette. Happy ❤ Day to you!
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Haha. Very cute story. Back in the day, on my first date with my now husband, he took me to a fancy steakhouse, and I was a vegetarian. They sold breakfast, so I ordered an omelet. He thought I was nuts. We tell that story now laughing. Notice, I used the past tense for vegetarian. Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤
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I love stories like yours. If we count out a first date right from the start, we may be missing out on something big! ❤
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Love won out. This was heart rendering and I think a story that has been lived too many times to count. In the beginning and in the end the story shows that we each need to bend in some way for it just is not possible for every couple to be perfectly matched. Maybe it is possible but I think not- in the real world.
A really nice valentine day story. And interesting too.
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I think you’re right. I’m not sold on the ‘soul mate’ fantasy. I think ‘true’ love means compromise, humor, and balancing between romance and practicality. 🙂 Sending you a big Valentine’s Day hug. xo
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A Valentine Day hug to you as well. xo 🙂
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Gifts are not the true touchstones for love…it changes its connotation for each individual. Pam, I love how you add a dash of humour to every story. 🙂
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Those who think a big expensive piece of jewelry (or clothing, or any kind of gift) means love are primed for disappointment, Balroop. Here’s to love with a capital L – based on friendship, accepting each other’s faults, and lots of laughter. 🙂 Happy ❤ Day to you.
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Great story. My wife and I are 15 years apart and I could relate to this story. I do my own ear hair BTW.
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Oh, you made me laugh here, John. Thanks. And many many hugs to you and your wife. What’s age got to do with it? NOTHING! 🙂 ❤
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Well, we don’t think age has anything to do with anything except subject of a lot of humor. 😀
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I know a couple, happily married for 60 years. As newlyweds, for Valentines Day he gave her a medicine cabinet. She laughs about it now.
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A MEDICINE CABINET? Now, see, that’s one of those things where truth is stranger than fiction, and you can’t make that stuff up! 😉 I’m so glad ‘she’ laughs about it now. Many hugs to that happily married delightful couple. xoxo
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S.w.e.e.t. Attraction. Disappointment. Forever love. Awwwwwwww. ❤
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So wonderful to see your face and blog title here!! Are you back? I’m going over to check. xo
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Such a fun Valentines story Pam. Jim gave me a rabbit jacket early on and I had to return it. It shed worse than a cat… I hope your Valentine’s Day ends with lots of love and laughter, just like your story did.
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All we can say, Cheryl, is that “they mean well.” Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your special guy. Let’s you, me and Susan get together again when the snow thaws and the birds have returned, chirping in the dogwoods. ❤
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That a very sweet story Pam. Love conqueres so much, even bad gifts,
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Funny, Gerlinde. The best thing about bad gifts is that if a couple survives each other’s bad gifts, they have a good story to tell for many years to come. 🙂
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Oh a surprise ending! I wasn’t expecting that. Oh yes we have to accept these faults and go with love. What a happy Valentines story. Xo
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If we look for perfection, we end up being very lonely. :-0 Hope you and your sweet guy have a terrific Valentine’s Day together. ❤
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We won’t be together this year as he is with his Mom who is having surgery and I with mine who is having surgery. Just one of those things of life which I know you can relate to.
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Ohhh, yes I can relate to that. I’m sending healing thoughts to both of your moms, and hope the surgeries are successful. xoxo
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Thanks so much. Unfortunately some complications unrelated to the hip. So it goes and your good wishes very much appreciated. Xo
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🙏💚
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One theory is that you should marry someone you have a lot in common with. I thought that instead, Eugene and I would be complementary. Like Dirk and Joyce, we were different in many ways, the most obvious of which was that he was Chinese born in China and I’m a small town American girl. Vive le difference. It worked out for us. I was never bored.
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Viva le difference, for sure. ❤ Here's to loving each other's differences. xoxo
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You old romantic Pamela. Great record.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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Ah, you know me too well, David. And it seems that the older I get, the more romantic I get. 🙂 You’re the one who inspired me to upload this song on my post this week. Huge hugs to you. xoxoxoxoxox
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Chuckling at this story, Pam! 😀 I think both of them could have used some imagination and thought on their first valentines gift. Oh no, grooming ear hair had me squirming!! I just love this song … great to be hear it again!
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Love means squirming and yet, still loving. 🙂 Isn’t it fun to look at couples together and wonder, “How does that ever work?” Love is the answer, of course. ❤
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Well, that didn’t end how I expected! 🙂 Dead animal as a gift? Yeah, I’d have been out, but in all fairness, it was only a third date, and maybe, as you said, he was educable. But I’d only take that ring after some looooong discussions! Even so … cheers to love!
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I’m always amazed at couples who decide to be a couple quickly, like Dirk and Joyce. I’d say, a 50/50 chance that their gut feel is real. But then again, I see couples who wait and wait and wait before committing. And guess what? 50/50 chance they make it. 🙂 Here’s to the mystery of love. ❤
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Great story!
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Thanks for enjoying my Valentine’s Gift to the blogosphere. I can’t give out boxes of heart candies, but I can share a story or two. Happy ❤ Day to you!
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Very funny Pam 🙂 I didn’t know where you were going with it, but the ending seems just so true to life!
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In the matters of the heart, the endings always seem to have a twist or two, don’t they? 🙂 Hugs to you, Andrea.
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Your story makes me laugh and warms me as much as a rabbit scarf would, Pam. And you just gave me a great idea for a Valentine’s gift for my husband. Shhhhhh. Don’t tell him. I want it to be a surprise. 🙂
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My lips are sealed. But I’d love to hear how your man reacts when you give him his gift. I’ve heard many a woman tell me that a grooming kit is exactly what their guy wants! xo
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He’s such a romantic, Pam. I just know he’s going to love it! haha!
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😍
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A cute story, Pam, right up until the ear hair. Where did that come from? LOL
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My writing secrets are safe with me… ! ☺️😆
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😂😂😂
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Some people just don’t understand romance. Sometimes it’s not about what you give…it’s about why. We don’t make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day anymore. We may go out to a nice dinner but that’s about it. My sweet hubby will sometimes get me a card and flowers but if he doesn’t I don’t care because he does other things during the year that are sweet. It’s nice he doesn’t wait until he is supposed to.. cute story! 💕
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Totally agreed, Courtney. My guy usually ends up getting me flowers a week or so before Valentine’s Day. A bit of a surprise and that way not a Hallmark moment! 💕👌😁
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At the beginning of the story, it had a tinge of the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” tail spin that goes from bad to worse. But thankfully, the rabbit fur gift did not manage to torpedo a beautiful relationship in the making. Now just for the record, a grooming kit does not a valentine gift make! Her grooming kit trumps his rabbit fur gift. Mind you… she IS a vegetarian. This story is really well written, humorous and oh so clever. Ben is upset that you categorized print newspaper reading as an older man’s “thing”. He is rejecting that idea, hahaha.
Peta
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Oh, please tell Ben that the opinions here about old age versus new age are only from Joyce’s point of view. My guy and I are still print newspaper- readers, and we get our newspaper delivered every morning at our front door! (Hmmmm, maybe that does make us both old age people… ) 🧐😉
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Sweet tale! Nice how we can overlook faults in the face of true love. And you know it’s TRUE love if Joyce is trimming his ear hair!! God bless her!
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Has to be true love, to trim ear hair. Although I suppose nose hair is even truer love. 😉 Happy ❤ Day, Kate.
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Pam… (Mouth twists, trying not to laugh out loud in the office) That was hysterical. Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤
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Awwww, come on. LAUGH out LOUD. Maybe you’ll even get a few of those office mates to laugh with you. 🙂 Hope your ❤ day is full of belly laughs and love. xoxxo
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Ha. That doesn’t tend to happen much here in Mordor. Would somebody please just throw that blasted ring into Mount Doom! 😉 Hugs.
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An amazing tale of love away from all the expensive gifts
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THANK You!
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Haha, Pam, a most amusing story. I would also balk at a rabbit skin scarf.
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🙂
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What a funny and lovely story! I laughed out loud at “it’s not fur, it’s rabbit”! Reminds me of that scene in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” where he’s offered lamb after declaring that he’s a vegetarian! 😁
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Glad you laughed out loud! Yes, I think we all know people (men, particularly) who are rather “clueless.” But still…. lovable. 🙂
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Reminds me of that scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding…”you don’t eat meat? that’s ok, I make lamb.”
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😏
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I loved this and kind of hope it was “fake rabbit fur!” Sweet tale for a happy much belated Valentine’s Day! ❤️
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Definitely fake. Hopefully. I think. 🙂
I love that you’re reading my Valentine’s tale now – we always need love, no matter what time of year. xo
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